There are many ways to describe a disciple of Jesus Christ. A disciple is one who knows the truth (John 8:31-32). A disciple is one who loves Jesus (John 14:15) and other disciples of Jesus (John 13:35). A disciple is one who obeys Jesus' commands and words (John 14:23). A disciple is one who bears much lasting fruit for Jesus (John 15:8). All of these describe what a disciple does. The definition we have chosen to use describes what a disciple is rather than what he does.
A disciple of Jesus is one who has dedicated his whole life to following Christ. When we follow someone, we go where they are going and do what they are doing. When Jesus first called His disciples He said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." [1]
The goal of making a disciple is to guide someone in a relationship with Jesus Christ such that they become more like Christ every day.
How can we follow someone we cannot see or hear? Jesus' disciples wondered the same thing when He told them that He would be leaving them but they would still be able to follow Him (John 14:21-26). As disciples, we can follow Jesus in five important ways:
Following Jesus by Knowing Him
Who is Jesus? What is He like? Where is He now? What is He doing? These are important questions if we are to follow the Lord. There are five important things for us to know about Jesus: (1) His history, (2) His ministry, (3) His future, (4) His character, and (5) His identity.
Following Jesus by being filled with the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. The disciple of Jesus is learning to be led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14). We can only follow Jesus as we walk in the Spirit. Disciples, then, ought to ask God to fill them daily with the Holy Spirit and learn to follow His leading in their lives. As they are filled and walking under the power of the Holy Spirit, they will be able to follow Jesus.
Following Jesus by knowing and obeying the Truth
Jesus told the woman at the well that God was looking for those who would "worship Him in Spirit and in truth" (John 4:24; 8:31-32). We can only follow Jesus as we walk in the light of truth. Without truth, we are in spiritual darkness, unable to see or know God (John 1:4-5, 17-18).
Following Jesus by submitting to Spiritual Authority
We also follow Jesus by submitting ourselves to the authorities He has placed in our lives. Romans 13:1-7 teaches that every authority is ordained (or chosen) by God. Authorities are used by God to direct us, protect us, reveal His will, keep us from evil, and teach us to live holy lives. As such, these authorities are vehicles of God's grace for us. The disciple recognizes the value of his authorities and seeks to maintain a proper relationship with them.
Following Jesus by mastering Spiritual Disciplines
Spiritual disciplines are things we do regularly to grow in our relationship with Jesus. While there are many spiritual disciplines, there are five that are basic to following Christ. They are what we call the first works (Revelation 2:5) because they help us to develop a close relationship with Jesus. These five disciplines are prayer, Bible study, giving, fasting, and serving. If we learn to do these disciplines well, we will grow in our relationship with the Lord, and we will be able to more easily hear His voice and understand His will.
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[1] Study these verses: Matthew 4:19; Matthew 8:22; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 19:21; Mark 2:14; Mark 8:34; Mark 10:21; Luke 5:27; Luke 9:23; Luke 9:59; Luke 18:22; John 1:43; John 10:27; John 12:26; John 13:36; John 21: